Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell on Monday withheld his judgment on President Donald Trump’s pick of Rep. John Ratcliffe to be the director of national intelligence, saying he would wait to see how the Texas Republican performs during his confirmation proceedings before the Senate Intelligence Committee.
But comments on Monday from other key Republican senators – most notably Senate Intelligence Chairman Richard Burr of North Carolina – signaled Ratcliffe’s nomination was in a stronger position with Republicans then when his nomination was pulled last year, which will be crucial to his confirmation chances amid staunch Democratic opposition.
Asked if he supports Ratcliffe, McConnell told CNN, “I’m waiting to see how the committee process goes. I’m certainly not opposed to him but I want to see how he does before the committee and get a report from Burr and the rest of them.”
Burr told CNN on Monday that he supported Ratcliffe’s nomination, after issuing a statement on Friday saying he looked forward “to receiving Congressman Ratcliffe’s official nomination and ushering it through the Senate’s regular order.”
“I’m supportive of John Ratcliffe. That’s what the statement said. Period,” Burr said.
Ratcliffe’s nomination faced bipartisan pushback last summer when Trump initially picked him for the post, with a number of senators in both parties expressing concerns about allegations he had embellished his credentials for the post from his time as a federal prosecutor. The President later withdrew the nomination, but last week he announced he would renominate Ratcliffe, who emerged as one of Trump’s most outspoken defenders during the impeachment proceedings. Ratcliffe served a significant role on both the Intelligence and Judiciary committees during closed-door depositions and public hearings.
Asked what had changed from last year, Burr said: “There was a different pathway in the Senate. I don’t think anybody has changed their opinion of John Ratcliffe. What changed is the pathway to get somebody confirmed. If Democrats want to vote against him and have (US Ambassador to Germany Richard) Grenell stay on as acting is fine with me.”
Speaking on the floor on Monday, McConnell said he was pleased Trump had chosen a permanent nominee – and therefore would not continue to rely on acting officials in the key post, which oversees the entire US intelligence apparatus.
McConnell also said he looks forward to “meeting the nominee” and hopes he will “impress senators” and “earn a bipartisan confirmation vote” in the Senate.
Democrats have decried the nomination, accusing the President of seeking to install a loyalist in a key, nonpartisan intelligence position. Last year, Ratcliffe would have replaced former Sen. Dan Coats, who was confirmed with bipartisan support. But Trump has since replaced acting Director of National Intelligence Joseph Maguire with another loyalist, Grenell.
“There were strong bipartisan concerns that were expressed the last time this name was floated. I don’t see anything that’s changed his record,” said Sen. Mark Warner of Virginia, the top Democrat on the intelligence panel. “When the leadership of the DNI is under assault, the last thing we need is further politicization of that office.”
But other Republicans on the Senate Intelligence Committee, which will consider the nomination, said they were inclined to support Ratcliffe’s nomination.
“I would anticipate being supportive,” said Sen. Roy Blunt of Missouri, who is in Republican leadership and a member of the Intelligence Committee.
Sen. Marco Rubio, a Florida Republican, said he needed to hear more from Ratcliffe about how he would approach the role of spy chief, but he praised the Texas Republican.
“He has a background in the intelligence community from his work in the Department of Justice, he’s been on the committee over on that side and ultimately I find him to be a serious person and an intelligence person,” Rubio told reporters. “I have never had a chance to talk to him in depth about the intelligence community, or his views on it or how he would want to pursue some of the internal reforms that are happening. But I think he has a chance to be a very good nominee and to do a good job.”
As always with contentious confirmations in the Trump era, GOP moderates will be the key senators to watch – and Sen. Susan Collins of Maine is a member of the Intelligence Committee. Sens. Mitt Romney of Utah and Lamar Alexander of Tennessee said Monday they would have to study the nomination further before weighing in.
Another senator to watch is Rand Paul of Kentucky, who is a vocal opponent of surveillance efforts. Paul told CNN on Monday he still needed to review Ratcliffe’s nomination. “I haven’t come to any conclusions yet,” he said.
This story has been updated with additional developments.
CORRECTION: This story has been updated to correctly identify Sen. Richard Burr as chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee.
CNN’s Mariah Espada and Saran Tarawaley contributed to this report.
